The place to start for most who want to improve their posture is with some set of daily corrective exercises. The right set of exercises for you, the reader, depends on factors such as your individual postural deviations, how much time you have available each day, and other considerations. However, what is more important is frequency (doing those exercises every day or even 2 or 3 times per day) and consistency (rarely skipping days).
A good physical therapist or personal trainer can help with crafting a customized routine for you. However, if you don’t have access to a PT, a good starting routine is the following pair of videos on YouTube. These two videos focus on the most common postural deviations: forward head + rounded shoulders. If you have a sedentary occupation, then it’s highly likely you have this combination as well. Each video contains both stretching and strengthening exercises. Combined, they synergistically help reverse some of the most common postural issues found in the general population. Video 1 contains exercises for forward head posture (FHP). Video 2 contains exercises for rounded shoulders (also referred to as “upper cross syndrome (UCS)” in the video). In my opinion, this is one the best beginner exercise sequences for posture that I’ve come across on the Internet. Keep in mind that these videos provide only one possible starting point. You can add to these with your own custom exercises that you have found to be helpful, or any that your personal trainer or physical therapist recommended. The key is start with something, do it consistently, and add to it or replace some exercises over time.
VIDEO 1 : https://youtu.be/wQylqaCl8Zo
VIDEO 2 : https://youtu.be/SYr6lbx68n8
To start, try doing both routines each day, taking a rest day as needed. You can start with 5 or 6 days a week for 4 weeks. Compare your posture at the beginning and end of the four weeks; a minimally-clothed side profile photo works best for this purpose. If you see noticeable improvement..great! You will most likely see some shift in your neck/shoulder positioning, even if subtle.
CHALLENGE: Perform a corrective regimen of your choice at least 6 days per week for at least 4 weeks.